Daffodil
by WhiteWisteria
Summary: Two hearts destined to be broken, two fates destined to be entwined. A single flower that started it all, and will end it all... Natsume x Mikan [THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE PREQUEL]
1. He fell, She hits

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**Daffodil**

_By snow mirage_

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**A/N: All of them are 20 years old and above in this fiction...there may also be possible tragedy in the future chapters...the lyrics are from Princess Tutu's Morning Grace.**

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_...and i am dreaming again today_

_so i find myself gently _

_drifting in a tempestuous current_

_just how far will this labyrinth take me..._

_i'll go along, and hold on tightly to this dream.. _

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**Chapter One**

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Silence was the only sound surrounding him as he waited in the darkness, amongst the shadows of the trees he was hiding in, the only source of light being the hazy moon that hung above.

At the sound of a car engine revving up, he immediately slipped on the cat mask that had became both a trademark and a identity for him and leaped down lithely onto the top of the car with a soft thud that wasn't noticed by either the driver or the car occupants.

Then, balancing on top of the car hood with his uncanny sense of balance honed by years of experience, he eased his body down until he was looking upside down into the dark interior of the car from the rear window.

He pressed his palm against the pane before releasing the flame within him.

In an instant, the glass shattered and the flames swept into the interior of the car.

He leaped off and walked away.

He did not have to look back nor hear the agonizing cries to know that the occupants, his targets, were dead even before the explosion occurred.

And he also did not have to look to know that Persona was somewhere nearby watching him as always.

His mission was complete.

Nothing else mattered.

He turned and walked off, his back towards the fiery inferno he had created with his 'gift'.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him.

Cursing, he forced himself to continue on his way home, leaping lithely from building to building, as quickly as his rapidly deteriorating consciousness allowed.

He could barely see where he was going because of the black spots that had begun to swim in front of his eyes.

He barely felt anything when he collided with something hard.

The last thing he saw was a pink object floating gently downwards to land on his nose before he lost consciousness.

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Sakura Mikan jerked up from her sleep as a loud crash suddenly sounded. 

"Na-nani? Hotaru, let me sleep a while longer..it is still dark out there." She mumbled sleepily, then with a soft sigh of contentment, slipped back into her comfortable bed.

"Meow." A light twinkle of a bell sounded as a cat leaped onto the bed and started licking Mikan on her face.

Mikan mumbled something incoherent and turned over.

The cat simply continued to lick the side of her face.

"Hmmm...Hotaru...why are you licking my face?" Her hand came up to push 'Hotaru' away and came into contact with soft fur instead.

It suddenly occurred to Mikan that she was no longer in Alice Academy and that means that-

She bolted straight up in her bed.

The cat let out a yowl of surprise at the sudden movement.

"Tama?" Mikan whispered and reached behind her to gather the tabby cat in her arms.

The cat purred before it struggled out of Mikan's arms and padded over to the closed bedroom door and pawed at it.

Mikan froze.

The last time Tama had did that, someone had broke into the house to steal her underwear.

That pervert was promptly disposed off by Hotaru who had came home with her to take something.

But Hotaru was not here now.

Slowly, she creaked open the door and peeped out, nervousness building stealthily in her.

_What if the person had a knife? What if she was killed? What if Tama got injured?_

Hand trembling, she stepped out into the dark corridor that led to the living room.

The sound had came from there; she was sure of it.

Her hand groped for the light switch even as she grabbed the nearest thing to hand: a broom.

"Who is there?" She shouted at the same moment she threw on the light.

Light flooded the room and Mikan found herself shouting at ... no one?

She blinked.

She was sure she had heard someone or something crashed down.

Unless...

Her eyes darted to the balcony, which was blocked from view by curtains.

Slowly, she made her way over, the broom clenched tightly in her hand.

She placed her hand on one of the curtains, took a steely breath to calm herself then jerked it open.

There, lying amongst her drying undergarments lay a man.

"AHHHHH! YOU PERVERT!"

Mikan immediately used the broom to start whacking the person, all the while screaming her lungs out as she jabbed the person over and over again with the bushy end of the broom.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ahh..ah?"

She suddenly realized the 'pervert' wasn't moving at all.

She prodded him once in the side with the broom as one would do to a poisonous insect.

No movement.

She prodded him again.

And again.

And again.

Slowly, she crouched down and pushed the person over.

The person was out cold.

Mikan glanced at the broom in her hand in shock and threw it away.

She couldn't have hit the person so hard until she - gulp- _killed him?_

_No, that is not possible._ Mikan dismissed it in the next moment.

She had never heard of a case where a person died under the attack of a broom.

But was it possible?

She reached out a trembling hand and pressed it gingerly to the person's neck.

There was a pulse!

Mikan let out a sigh of relief.

But what was she supposed to do with a fainted person?

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**Watch out for the next chapter: The mysterious man, who is he?**

**Sorry for the abrupt ending, but the next chapter will hopefully be out soon! More explanations coming up!**

**Meanwhile, reviews are much appreciated!**


	2. Unwanted Past

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**Daffodil**

_By SnowMirage_

**Disclaimers: I do not own Gakuen Alice.**

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I wander'd lonely as a cloud  
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

_When all at once I saw a crowd,  
A host, of golden daffodils;_

_Beside the lake, beneath the trees,  
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze._

- By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

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**Chapter two: Natsume**

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"-I am a _vet_. I don't do humans!" The deep, male voice over the phone receiver was exasperated and amused.

"Demo, I can't get through to Imai-san!" The female voice was frustrated and anxious.

And_ loud._

Natsume cracked open an eye and saw the owner of the voice speaking into the phone, all the while twirling the phone cord in her hands in short, sudden movements, her back to him.

The long auburn hair that was slightly wavy at the ends reminded him of someone, someone he thought he would never see again.

_Mikan._

_Stop it_, he warned himself. He turned his thoughts to examining his surroundings.

Where was he?

If he had remembered correctly, the bloody medicine hadn't worked as he had wanted it to. He had fallen into someone's balcony and hit something hard.

And then there was a pink in color thing that had floated down...

Hmm, whatever.

Natsume darted a look back at the woman.

She was still talking agitatedly into the phone.

"But what am I supposed to do with_ him_?"

By _him_, Natsume supposed that she was talking about him.

_She was making me sound like some kind of disease, _he thought in amusement.

"They should be here soon. I will get over as soon as I can, so relax and calm down. Take a drink of water," The voice over the phone returned calmly.

Supposedly, she was the one who dragged him in here.

Not bad for a woman.

Satisfied that she wouldn't notice him for the time being, Natsume took the time to examine his surroundings.

He was in a spacious living room, brightly lit for some reason or another.

A look at the ornate clock hanging on the wall in front of him showed that it was in the wee hours of the morning already, but still not late enough for the sun to have risen.

He turned back to his task of observing where he was.

Somehow, he was lying on the ground near a cream colored couch and a glass top coffee table. The strangest of all was a broom that was thrown carelessly near him.

What the hell was a broom doing there?

He looked back up at the woman who sat with her back to him.

Dismissing it as not important, he continued looking at the floor. There were pieces of cloth strewn over the place.

Leading from the balcony to him.

Pieces of pastel colored silk cloth.

Wait.

_Lingerie? _

Then the 'pink thing' that he had saw before he lost his consciousness was...her_ lingerie_?

_RIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!_

"-they are here! Okay, bye!"

Natsume heard the clicking sound of the phone being hung up and sounds of footsteps pattering away.

He sat up once he was sure she was no longer in view.

The last thing he need was more people. More people, more complications.

Complications were things that one in his current job could not afford.

He heard the sound of voices nearing.

He would come back some other time to thank the woman who saved him again.

Quickly, he moved towards the balcony where he had supposedly 'came in' from, suppressing down the feeling of dizziness forcefully.

He reached for the railing, ready to go off when-

"Meow?"

The soft purr of a cat had him glancing down to see a tabby cat perched at the edge of the railing. The blue eyes of the cat looked unnervingly at him.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

Natsume cursed as someone shouted behind him.

In his moment of distraction, he had forgotten about the people coming in.

He moved towards the railing once again -

He couldn't move?

Natsume tried moving his hand, but it was frozen in place.

What was this? It almost felt like that idiot Tsubasa Andou's shadow manipulation, like someone was holding him down without anyone actually being there.

"Oi, that is definitely not the way to thank someone who was worried about you." A voice drawled out behind him.

Natsume closed his eyes.

It _was_ the voice of Tsubasa Andou.

Then that girl, the one with the long auburn hair, would be _her_.

_Mikan._

As if on cue, the woman spoke.

"Tsubasa-sempai! You shouldn't be doing that to him! He just recovered!" It was Mikan's voice through and through.

A voice he would never forget.

_Don't forget me neh, Natsume-kun?_

He did not want to face her now, or for the matter, at all.

He did want to have to face accusations of why he did so many things to hurt them, to get her and Ruka far away from him.

She would never understand.

He felt himself suddenly walking backwards against his will.

Damn that Andou.

He did the only thing he could in his situation, the same thing he did during the RPG in the festival 10 years ago: he lit up his fire.

As soon as the light fell onto the shadow, he leapt away, continuing to hold onto the ball of flame in his palm just in case.

"Don't mess with me, _Andou_." Natsume drawled out menacingly, keeping his back to them.

Silence.

Natsume knew he had shocked them.

"Nat-_Natsume_?" Mikan's voice was soft and tentative, as though she didn't dare believe her eyes. There was hopefulness in her voice, something that compelled him to turn around and face her.

There she stood, her face stricken, eyes wide. The years had made her grow up, into a beautiful woman.

"Natsume?" His name was barely a whisper on her lips as she stretched out a hand to him.

A small, regretful smile appeared on the edges of his lips involuntarily.

Once he had thought that she would be the one, the one to be able to bring him out of the darkness that engulf him, his light in the darkness...

She started to walk towards him, but the man besides her held her firmly by her arm, refusing to allow her to go near him.

Protecting her from him...

Natsume's smile hardened into a cynical one.

That was right. They should protect her from him.

After all, he was a dangerous man.

He could all so easily snap her into two, just had he had done so to her mentally when he callously pushed her and Ruka away, never mind that it was for their good.

"Ba-ka youjo."He drawled out the words mockingly.

They were meant to hurt, but somehow they had the reverse effect on her.

Instead, her eyes widened in joy and the tears so precariously swimming in her eyes fell down her cheeks.

She jerked out of Andou's grip and ran towards him, flinging her arms around Natsume before he had a chance to react.

Shocked, it took a moment for Natsume to react.

She was crying into his shirt, rivets of tears that soaked into the thin material of the shirt.

"Idiot." He muttered, his hands hesitatingly going up to stroke her hair comfortingly.

It took him a while to realize that she was saying something against his shirt.

"Baka Natsume..."

She was insulting him.

"Crybaby." He stated. He was never one to let an insult go past after all.

Some things and some people just never change.

She pulled back and glared at him.

"Baka Natsume."

"Ugly." He raised a brow, challenging her to insult him if she dared to.

Then he remembered something.

"You changed your underwear. Too bad." He said baldly, looking at her with a smirk.

There was a minute of silence as Mikan stared at him, then anger rose in her eyes.

"NATSUME!"

Natsume continued smirking as he dodged her fruitless attacks easily.

"Mikan? What is-" The new male voice stopped them both in their actions as a blonde man suddenly strode into view into the living room where Tsubasa was standing with the woman, Misaki.

_Ruka._

Natsume saw the exact moment he realized who Mikan was attacking when he dropped his briefcase onto the ground with a thud.

"Natsume?" Incredulous, Ruka, his ex-best friend stared at him.

Natsume could understand his surprise. After all, they had not met for more than two years.

"Ruka." He acknowledged him and turned away to hide the unwanted emotions he did not want to show to his friend.

_Emotions are weaknesses. _Persona's voice echoed in him, seemingly mocking at him.

Ruka's appearance reminded him that he was dwelling too long here.

He walked away, but a small hand stopped him.

Mikan.

"Wait, Natsume don't-" She started pleadingly.

He jerked his arm out of her grip, took a step away and using his alice, set a wall of fire separating him from all his past. His unwanted past.

He turned around and looked at her and Ruka one last time.

"This will be last time we meet."

"Why? But why?" The barely audible whisper came from Ruka, who was looking at him with hurt in his eyes.

Ruka's movement drew Natsume's eyes to the silver band on Ruka's finger.

_Mikan and I are getting engaged. Please come._

The contents of the letter from Ruka's letter surfaced, letters he never answered.

He shifted his gaze to Mikan's hand. Sure enough, on her finger was a similar ring.

Natsume did not reply, simply turned away.

Their lives were already completed.

Without him, it would have made no difference.

He bent down and picked up the cat mask that lay unheeded and forgotten amidst the scattered lingerie.

"You are still with them?" There was shock and unwanted pity in Andou's tone as he asked.

Natsume never answered him and simply leapt off the railing and disappeared into the velvet darkness of the night.

* * *

Mikan started forward as the fire created by Natsume died away, somehow leaving no scorched marks on the floor. 

She gripped the railings and stared out into the inky darkness.

He was gone, out of her life.

Again.

_Natsume...why?_

She never got back an answer in return.

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**A/N: For those of you who thought the story ends here, well you are wrong... :'D**

**Mikan will meet Natsume again, soon too. She will have to resolve her feelings for Natsume and Ruka after all...**

**Give me your thoughts about this story :')**


	3. Twist of Fate

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**Daffodil**

_By SnowMirage_

**Disclaimers: I do not own Gakuen Alice.**

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_Upon the petal of the daffodil  
The raindrop quietly sits  
Awaiting emotion to stir the wind._

**- The Daffodil, Christy M. Easter**

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**Chapter Three: Bittersweet Memories**

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"Mikan..."Ruka muttered helplessly into his fiancée's hair as he held her close, her small frame shaking violently in his arms as she sobbed.

She was still crying hours after Natsume had left; inconsolable.

Tsubasa and Misaki had left with promises to visit again soon, knowing the two needed some time alone with each other, with Tsubasa leaving while muttering something about amputating Natsume alive.

It made Ruka worry for a moment for Natsume's safety, for Tsubasa was not one to go back on his words and given the bad impression Tsubasa always had of Natsume, it wasn't unlikely that just one day they might find a body lying in a dark alley.

And speaking of Natsume...

He was certainly someone they had not expected to see, not after they had graduated, and certainly not in that kind of situation.

He had also been shaken by the sight of Natsume, someone who had been his best friend for most of his life and still was, even though he would never admit it.

_Go away Ruka. I don't need you anymore._

Natsume's words, clear as the day it had been spoken two years ago, surfaced painfully as a freshly opened wound.

That time, in his pain, he had not wondered why indeed his friend, his _best _friend, would do that to him.

He had simply accepted it and in his pain, ran away to nurse his pride and a lost friendship.

Oh, he was a coward then.

Now, he wondered if there was more to it.

Natsume had changed; there had been the jaded look in his eyes of someone who had seen too much ugliness of the world and was tired of it.

Even when he smiled, the smile never reached his eyes.

They remained as cold as ever, even though they had soften slightly at the sight of Mikan.

Ruka always knew that Natsume liked Mikan as well.

It was something known and unspoken between the two friends. Each simply continued to pursue her in their own way, Natsume with his insults and surprisingly touching ways of showing that he cared and Ruka with his gentle manner.

Mikan was the only and first one to make Natsume smile, she was the one that brought sunshine into his life, something that he, as Natsume's best friend, was unable to do.

Often, during their times together on rooftop, they would tease each other about their 'poor choice' in women, sending insults to one another good naturedly. Neither of them confessed to Mikan, who was as usual oblivious to everything, but he suspected that Hotaru knew. Had always known.

That girl was scary in that way.

Then, Natsume had hurt them both. In their pain, they had turned to each other. They never saw Natsume again, despite the fact that Ruka continued to send letters to him, letters that Natsume never answered.

Mikan had wrote every two days in hope that Natsume would come back; everyday, Ruka watched in despair as the hope died off bit by bit, leaving behind a despair and unhappiness in her eyes.

After all, she had lost more than a friend. Natsume had been someone precious to her. In her own way, she had somehow knew that he loved her and she loved him back.

Still, Mikan had forced a happy look on her face, but Ruka knew that her heart wasn't into it. Even Hotaru was unable to bring back the happiness into Mikan. She became a mere empty shell of what she had been in the past.

Hotaru had finally cornered him one day, with her upgraded baka gun aimed precariously at his temple.

_If you love her, show her. Ba-ka._

Her words had jolted him.

The next day, he proposed to her. Slowly, he managed to bring back the happiness into her eyes and she was laughing more often, but Ruka knew that somewhere in her heart, there would always be a place reserved for Natsume only, somewhere he would never be able to fill.

Somewhere only Natsume could.

In an unexpected twist of fate, Natsume had returned, unintentionally, but he had returned.

And the pain and unhappiness Ruka had tried for so long to take away from Mikan surfaced again.

"I need some time alone." Mikan sniffed as she shifted out of Ruka's embrace.

Ruka hesitated slightly before he answered.

"Okay. Call me if you need me."

He also needed some time alone to reflect, and to heal. He knew Mikan needed the same.

Leaning down, he kissed her gently on her cheek.

On his way out, he picked up the tabby cat who had been watching Mikan and him.

Rubbing the purring Tama on her head, he whispered to the cat, "Take care of her for me."

"Meow."

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After Ruka left, Mikan gathered the purring Tama in her arms and wandered into her room. 

Placing the cat onto the bed, she sat down at the edge.

She pulled on a thin silver chain around her neck until a small silver key, threaded into the necklace, emerged from beneath the rim of her nightgown.

Looping the necklace off her neck, she fingered the intricate patterns woven into the small key.

The box the key opened held something that was immeasurably dear to her, something she had treasured for her life.

Mikan reached down to the lowest drawer of the dresser besides her bed and pulled it open.

There was only a single item in there: an unremarkable looking box. The chocolate color of the box darkened over time until it was now a deep coffee color.

It had been a birthday present from Hotaru, a special box that was able to keep anything within it as new as it had been at the time it was put in.

And within it, she had placed a piece of her forgotten past, a piece of her heart.

Pulling it out, she placed it in her lap and slotted the key into the keyhole and twisted the key.

_Click._

As she lifted the lid, a tinkling rendition of 'Silent Night' started to play.

Inside the velvet lining of the box, lay a single object.

A daffodil, fresh as the day it was plucked, fresh as the day Natsume had given it to her two years ago during their Last Dance together.

The petals, strikingly yellow against the somber red of the velvet, were soft to the touch.

The tears came again.

Hot, burning tears that came from the soul.

_This will be the last time we meet._

"Natsume..." Mikan whispered brokenly.

Mikan sat up suddenly, swiping the tears away from her eyes with her hands. Crying wouldn't help anymore.

_Your crying face makes you thirty-percent less graceful to me. _A reluctant smile came over Mikan's face as she remembered Hotaru's famous words spoken so many years back.

Closing the box, she placed it back on her bed.

She needed to go out and walk, to think about _him_.

_And perhaps, to forget him. Again._

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**_Two years ago, Alice Academy..._**

_"Natsume! Ruka-pyon!" Mikan waved enthusiastically as she ran up to the pair to where they were standing under a tree._

_"Where have you two been? The graduating ceremony is about to begin! Sousou, Narumi-sensei is waiting for us!" Saying, so, Mikan reached out to grab their hands to drag them._

_She had only walked a few steps when she felt Natsume jerk his hand out of her grasp at the same time Ruka pulled his hand out of her other hand._

_Puzzled, she turned around to look at Natsume, who was already walking away in the other direction._

_"Natsume? What is wrong?" When she got no answer from Natsume, Mikan turned to Ruka, only to find Ruka staring at the leaving Natsume with a blank look in his eyes._

_"Ruka-pyon?" Mikan asked slowly, concern in her eyes._

_Ruka never answered but simply turned his back and started walking in the other direction._

_Torn, Mikan stood there for a while._

_There had been something in Ruka's eyes, something she had not been able to decipher before he had masked it and walked away._

_She decided to go after Natsume._

_"Natsume! What did you do to Ruka-pyon?" Mikan yelled as she raced after the departing boy, who pointedly ignore her question._

_Incensed, she reached out and grab hold of Natsume's arm - and dropped it in shock when she felt her nullifying alice kick into use as it neutralized Natsume's alice._

_"Natsume?" She whispered, looking in shock at the silent boy._

_Natsume had never used his fire alice against her with intention to hurt._

_Never before._

_Mikan shook off the feeling that Natsume had done it on purpose, believing she was thinking too much, and reached out for him again._

_"Neh Natsume, what is wrong-" Mikan never finished her sentence before Natsume flung her hand aside with enough force to send her half-sprawling onto the ground._

_"Natsume..." Mikan stared up at him, realizing that something was very wrong._

_"Get lost. Irritating baka." Natsume bit out then he turned away._

_Mikan watched as he walked away._

_She didn't bother to do anything to stop him._

_His last words had cut into her too deep. Deep down, she knew that he meant every word. Every single word._

_She waited until he was out of sight, then burrowed her head into her arms and cried._

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_**Present...**_

_Damn that girl. _

Natsume cursed savagely as he flung a paper weight at the window, hearing with satisfaction the tinkering sounds of glass shattering.

"Natsume onii-chan?"

The door creaked open slightly as a boy dressed in the uniform of middle school branch walked into the room, his silver-brown locks falling untidily over his hooded grayish-green eyes.

At the age of thirteen, Hijiri Youichi had won over the entire female population (not that he wanted to) with his boyish looks and devil-may-care attitude.

Like Natsume, Youichi was working for the academy's secret corps, something that Natsume had been against vehemently, but Youichi went ahead with in any case.

_If onii-chan has to suffer, at least I'll be there._

"Youichi." Natsume nodded before he drew out one of the chairs in the meeting room in the Alice Academy and sat himself down, propping his legs up onto the polished glass surface of the long meeting table.

Youichi was the only reason he even came back to this dreaded academy in the first place. Over the years, Youichi had become more of a brother to Natsume, who had tasted the heart-aching pain of losing his family and friends at a young age.

"So, how did the mission go last night?" Youichi asked as he drew out another chair and sat down beside Natsume.

Even though Youichi kept his bored mien, his eyes betrayed him.

Natsume didn't look good and if the broken glass pane was of any indication together with the haggard look on his face, he was also not in a good mood.

"Fine." Natsume's reply was clipped. _Except for the fact that I met that idiot and Ruka, two people I had hoped never to see again._

Youichi eyed him.

He didn't probed, because he knew that Natsume had his reasons and Youchi respected his privacy.

After all, Natsume was the one who took him under his wings and it was the least Youichi could gave him.

Before he could ask anymore, the sound of footsteps approaching the room stopped him.

"Natsume-kun, Youichi-kun." Persona glided into the room, a cynical smile lingering on his thin lips, his high-heels making a sharp clicking sound against the floor.

_Persona._

There was no one on this earth besides the incurably gay-looking Narumi that Natsume hated more in this world.

"What do you want?" He drawled out rudely, not bothering to remove his feet from the table.

"Nothing. Just to congratulate you on a job well done last night." Persona smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Natsume took his legs off the table in one smooth move and walk out of the room.

"We will contact you again. Oh, and we will be watching you." The last was a softly spoken and thinly veiled threat that made Natsume pause in his step before he jerked open the door and walked out.

"Natsume onii-chan?" Youichi had came out after him, a worried thread in his tone even though he didn't show it on his face.

Natsume kept on walking, not answering Youichi until he reached the entrance of the Alice Academy.

"Be careful, Youichi." He turned and pinned the latter with a look.

Youichi looked at him in silence and nodded.

In an uncharacteristic gesture, Natsume withdrew his hand from where it had been tucked into his pocket and ruffled the latter's hair affectionately before he turned and left.

Youichi stood there and looked through the metal bars of the gates of the academy at the retreating back of one Hyuuga Natsume until he could no longer see him, words that have been left unspoken echoing in his heart.

_Take care, Natsume onii-chan. Be safe._

* * *

Natsume walked along the tree-lined walk way on his way back to his home, deep in thoughts. 

_We will be watching you._

Persona's voice came back to him.

Had he somehow knew about what had happened last night?

Damn it.

After all he had gone through to protect those he cared for by pushing them away, he refused to let it all go to waste.

Natsume slammed his fist into the trunk of the tree nearest to him, the need to release his frustration out on something.

His sudden violent movement caused several of the passersby to eye him strangely and some went to the extent of giving him a wide berth.

_I__t doesn't matter anymore,_ he told himself, forcing himself to calm down_. After all, it is not like I will be seeing them again._

Then, in a strange twist of fate, Natsume saw Mikan at the same moment she spotted him.

For a moment, they stood rooted in their spots, both standing on the pavement, at the opposite sides of the road.

Fate, it seems, never go the way people expect it to go.

She moved forward suddenly, the first to break out of their stupor, slowly first as though in a daze then into a run.

Natsume didn't realize what she was doing at first, then he realize that she was running towards him, across the road.

"That baka!" He cursed under his breath as he moved quickly forward towards her.

The traffic was busy, with cars going back and forth at high speeds.

Natsume's heart was thumping in fear for Mikan as she crossed the road without heed to the traffic, but somehow, no matter how fast he willed himself to go forward and stop her, time seemed to slow down and he felt as though he was moving at an excruciating slow speed.

Suddenly, Mikan seemed so far away.

_I want to protect those that matter to me. Please, God, give me that power to do so._

Mikan never saw the car that honked frantically at her as it approached her at a speed too high to be able to brake in time for the collision to be prevented.

The car slammed into Mikan with enough strength to send her flying through the air like a broken doll, a sickening sound of breaking bones filled the air.

"No.." The word slipped off Natsume's lips, barely a whisper, the feeling of helplessness overwhelming him.

Suddenly, he was able to move.

Leaping across the cars and ignoring the furious honks and vulgarities spat at him, Natsume caught Mikan's small frame in his arms before she came into contact with the road.

"Mikan?"

She was too still, her body seeming extremely fragile in his arms.

There was blood oozing it out of her, from tiny cuts that seemed to be all over her small body. No matter what he did, it wouldn't stop flowing out of her.

As he stared into her amber eyes, he could almost see the life slowly ebbing out of her with every drop of blood that seeped out of her veins.

"Nat..su..me..." Mikan breathed out before she fainted.

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**A/n: Well, here it is, for now anyways...Hope you guys liked the story!**

**Special thanks go to lady orheal, who am i, sakuracat14, whateverness, glenda23, Michiyosama7, facadephazzad, Toki Hasegara, noWriter, zline, danavalkyrie, nikkiru, Raine8928...**

**Thank you guys for giving such wonderful reviews! Luv ya all :')**

**_And to zline, I'll try to add humor, but please don't blame me if no humor surfaces! Hmm...it is the mood of this story I think, kind of hard to inject humor in if you know what i mean..._**


	4. Mikan's Choice

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**Daffodil**

_By Snow Mirage_

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_For oft, when on my couch I lie  
In vacant or in pensive mood,  
They flash upon that inward eye  
Which is the bliss of solitude;  
And then my heart with pleasure fills,  
And dances with the daffodils._

**_- The Daffodils, Wiliam Wordsworth (1770-1850)_**

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**Chapter Four: Mikan's choice**

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**_Two years ago, Alice Academy..._**

_"Did you really think that you can gain _freedom_?" Persona's tone was mocking as he stared down at the expressionless Natsume, who simply stared back at him._

_"Oh Natsume, Natsume." He tsked as he drew a long fingernail over the boy's cheek in a deceptively loving gesture. The boy never flinched as the sharp nail cause blood to well in its path, simply continued staring with hatred in his dark brown eyes._

_"When will you learn that you will never be free? After all, you _owe_ the school." A cold smile lit on Persona's face._

_Still, no answer._

_"Where will a murderer go, Natsume-kun?" He drawled out, smiling as Natsume flinched at the word 'murderer'._

_"I am not a murderer." Natsume hissed out, a fire ball leaping to life in his palm._

_"Then what do you call someone who demolished the entire town? Tell me, Natsume." Persona's smile widen as he watch the fury built up in Natsume's eyes._

_The muffled sound of laughter turned Persona's attention to the couple standing below the window they were positioned at, waiting for Natsume._

_"Sakura Mikan and Nogi Ruka...useless creatures. Nothing but trouble, especially that child Sakura."_

_"They are my friends." The sentence, hissed out fiercely, with the faintest hint of pride, caught Persona's attention._

_He turned back to Natsume._

_"Friends? Do you think that they will be with you if they know the truth about you?"_

_Natsume never answered, but his fist clenched._

_Persona was certain that Natsume probably wanted to kill him._

_It delighted him, to say the least._

_Hatred was something he was familiar with._

_"Don't be foolish. For people like you and me, there are no such things as friends. There are only liabilities, obstacles."_

_Persona bent down until he was close enough to Natsume, and whispered into his ear, "You have grown weak, Natsume. If you know what is best for them, get rid of them. Friends never last long."_

_With that last threat, he left, leaving behind the silent Natsume, who continued to stared out of the window at his friends._

I want to protect those that matter to me. Please, God, give me that power to do so.

* * *

**_Present..._**

Ruka ran along the corridors of the hospital, ignoring the calls of 'no running in the hospital', fear coursing through his veins.

_Mikan met with a car accident. She is now in critical condition. Come quick._

The frantic tone of Tsubasa relayed the message that Ruka had always dreaded to hear.

_Please Mikan. Don't die. _Ruka prayed frantically as he turn abruptly around the corner, startling a scream out of the nurse who was there.

"Tsubasa! Misaki!" Ruka panted out as he spotted the two sitting forlornly on the benches.

"Ruka!" At the sound of his name being called, Tsubasa stood up and came forward.

"How is she?" Gripping Tsubasa's shoulders, Ruka was almost tempted to shake the answer out of the shadow manipulator when he hesitated in his answer.

"Ruka, she is still under operation. Subaru is in there." Misaki murmured reassuringly, her hand clasping Ruka's shoulder, a troubled look in her eyes.

Slowly, Ruka forced himself to release his iron-grip hold on Tsubasa and muttered a soft," Sorry."

"After all, it is Subaru we are talking about. She will be fine." Tsubasa smiled reassuringly at Ruka, but even he did not sound sure of what he had just said, his eyes held the unspoken worry he felt within.

Ruka took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

Mikan was strong. She would come through.

She had to.

"What happened?"

"We have no idea." Tsubasa shrugged helplessly.

"All we knew was that Mikan had met with an accident and was brought to the hospital. It was Subaru who notified us of the accident." Misaki added in softly.

"No use worrying about it now. All we can do is wait." Tsubasa pushed Ruka gently to the bench and sat down beside him, Misaki taking a seat on the other side.

Hours came and went, still the operation continued.

Finally, the doors swished opened, revealing a weary looking Subaru.

Ruka held his breath as Subaru looked at them as he removed the green mask from his face.

"She will be fine."

With the four simple words, it was almost as though life flowed into his very veins again. A relieved smile broke across Ruka's face, mirrored in the faces of Tsubasa and Misaki.

"She suffered some internal bleeding, with a few broken ribs and so. It was a little tricky with her nullifying alice, but all are on the mend, we are also arranging for blood transfusion..." Ruka listened with only half-a-ear as Subara enunciated on Mikan's condition.

"Can we see her?" He cut in, wanting to see for himself that she was fine, needed to see that she was fine.

Subara nodded, gesturing to a nurse to bring them there.

"But only for a while. She needs to rest." He added on as they were led away.

* * *

The first thing Ruka thought when he saw Mikan was that she was too pale. 

Her hair was spread out on the white pillow.

Tubes, many of them, were pierced into her skin. It seemed that she had lost quite a bit of blood during the accident and required transfusion of the blood, as told to them by the nurse before she left them alone.

Suddenly. Mikan seemed very small, enveloped by the pristine white hospital bed. Something clenched in Ruka's heart and he moved closer to capture her still hand in his palm.

His movement seemed to wake Mikan from her slumber.

Her eyelids fluttered slightly, revealing unfocused pupils before they fluttered closed again.

"Mikan?" Ruka whispered softly.

Her lips moved, a sound the barest of whispers slipped out as a single tear found its way down her pale cheek.

"Natsume.."

* * *

The first thing Ruka did when he got out of the room was to head directly to the nurses station. 

He did not explain anything to the extremely confused Tsubasa, who would have followed him out of Mikan's hospital room if Misaki had not restrained him.

"Excuse me. Do you know who brought in the patient Sakura Mikan this morning? She was in a car accident." He asked the nurse on duty.

"Oh yes. It was a man with dark hair. He carried her in, didn't he?" The nurse turned to her partner.

"He had the most unusual eyes I have ever seen. They were red in colour."

_Natsume._

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**A/N: Chapter four done! Yay! **

**Do Review :)**


	5. Waiting

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**Daffodil**

_By Snow Mirage_

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_To say that men are bull-headed will be insulting to the bull._

_-Julia Quinn _

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**Chapter Five: Waiting**

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It was dark.

Pain swarmed sluggishly through her body like a deep crimson sea that seemed to pull down at her, pulling her away from the air and light she so needed.

Mikan struggled to move, panicking when she couldn't discern whether she was standing, sitting, lying down. She couldn't feel her limbs nor move them and the panic that swelled in her rose almost to an unbearable level.

She tried to speak, to call out to anyone at all. Not a sound managed past her lips.

She remembered all too well what had happened.

_Where was Natsume? _

A hand brushed her hair softly.

She sensed it, just the barest of touch that sent panic against the dull pain.

"Rest Mikan. It is alright. You have to rest."

The voice was gentle, comforting…and familiar.

Not Natsume.

Ruka.

Already, she could feel the darkness dragging her back.

She couldn't go back yet; she needed to know.

"Where-where is Natsume?" She forced out, her voice thin and reedy from long periods of unused.

The hand stilted for a moment, before the stroking continued and Ruka comforted," He is safe."

Mikan let go, carrying the promise that he was safe with her into the ocean.

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Ruka sat in the stiff chair next to Mikan's bed, her hand clasped in his.

Three days had passed already, with Mikan slipping in and out of consciousness.

She wasn't supposed to take so long to recover, but the doctors had guessed that it had been her nullifying alice at work, slowing down her progress of recovery.

People streamed in and out of the pristine hospital room, well-wishers who wanted nothing other than to see Mikan smile again and be her usual klutz self.

Even Hotaru had flown in immediately from Africa where she had been working on a project as soon as news of Mikan's accident had reached her ears. Even though the violet haired female had not shown anything on her face, her eyes betrayed a worry that was felt by everyone.

_'Wake up soon.' _He beseeched quietly, leaning his forehead on their joint hands.

The hand that clamped down suddenly on his left shoulder had him whipping around to find Hotaru standing there, her eyes trained on her best friend.

There was no smirk that appeared at the corner of her mouth as it would have been at another time, nor was she carrying her favorite blackmailing partner in crime, camera-san.

Hotaru had changed slightly in appearance, though she still kept her hair in the same length it had been since they were in elementary school.

"Go and rest." She commanded, giving him a light shove on the shoulder to get him moving.

"You look like hell." She added, flicking a disinterested look over his face.

A reluctant smile found its way onto Ruka's face as he got up.

Still the same, old Hotaru.

"Way to greet a friend you haven't seen for weeks." He muttered under his breath as he got up from his seat, placing Mikan's hand back onto the white hospital sheets as he rubbed his face with his hand, wincing slightly at the feel of the stubby beginnings of a beard in his face.

"Don't flatter yourself. We are acquaintances. "She lifted a brow before taking his place on the seat.

Ruka rolled his eyes. She had been that way for as long as they had known each other.

"And don't drink the coffee. It tastes like processed mud." She added on without bothering to turn her head.

"Thanks." He muttered before letting out a yawn.

Hotaru was right; he needed sleep.

"What is this?"

"Hmm?" Ruka half-turned, stopping in his tracks on his way out of the room.

He looked at what she was pointing at.

A small vase containing a trio of daffodils, two of them already wilting, sat calmly on the small table besides the bed, the vibrant color striking in an otherwise dull room.

He had wondered too, when the first one had appeared mysteriously three days ago. Everyday, a new stalk would join its sisters on the small vase, no name or notes attached.

"I have no idea. It came three days ago."

Hotaru nodded slowly.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light that went off and blinded Ruka temporarily.

He blinked and, as the black spots slowly cleared, saw Hotaru calmly tucked a familiar camera into her handbag, which Ruka had not noticed she was carrying earlier.

"Immaaaiiiii!!!!!"

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Hotaru sat quietly in the chair.

Ruka had left minutes ago; right after a nurse had ran in and scolded the flushing blonde for yelling out loud in a hospital. Subaru had run in few seconds later, thinking that Ruka was calling him.

Oh, it had been a sight to remember and she had it all down on film, Hotaru smirked as she caress her camera lovingly.

Vaguely, she wondered just how much money she could extort from Ruka with the roll of film.

Pulling her thoughts away from her future income-to-be, she returned her assessing gaze to the vase of daffodils.

She had a pretty good guess exactly who had done it.

_Natsume. _

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The moon was high in the sky as he moved towards the white building looming in sight.

Lithely, he scaled the high wall that surrounded the hospital with ease, almost as though the wall wasn't there at all.

He paused long enough to smirk at the sight of the sleeping security guard in the guard house.

It was so hard to get good help these days.

Reaching the building he was after, he started up, knowing exactly where and when to go and stop.

After all, this wasn't the first time he had been here.

Hauling himself over the railing of the balcony, he moved soundlessly into the dark room, his footsteps muffled by the carpeted floor.

Hauling himself over the railing of the balcony, he moved soundlessly into the dark room, his footsteps muffled by the carpeted floor, right to the single bed that dominated the room.

And her.

She was lying in the exact position she had been since three days ago.

_Too pale_, He thought, a worried frown between his brows.

_And why was she still unconscious? _

She never stirred, never moved and something within him twisted.

It was his fault that all this happened.

And he hated himself for not being able to do anything.

He wanted to shake her, set her on fire, anything so as long she wakes up and scream at him.

Because, that was the Mikan he knew.

He shifted away, before reaching behind him to insert the single stalk of daffodil into the vase.

He cast one last look at her, before turning to go the same way he had entered.

"Hyuuga." The single word halted him in his steps and his head snapped around to a figure standing in one corner of the room, hidden by the darkness.

The figure stepped out, the light from the moon casting a soft glow on a head of shortly cropped violet hair.

_Imai Hotaru. _

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**reviews for the chapter will be adored :')**


	6. One Last Time

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**Daffodil**

_By Snow Mirage_

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**many thanks to all who have reviewed and stuck to this story :) this is for all of you.**

**Special thanks to littledoggy for betaing this **

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_What are you running from?_

_From your demons, or from yourself?_

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**Chapter Six: One Last Time**

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"Hyuuga." Hotaru watched with barely concealed amusement as the man better known as the Black Cat snapped his head around to her direction, clearly startled.

There was disbelief in his crimson eyes that soon narrowed into recognition as she stepped out into the light.

She knew he was wondering how she had managed to simply sit there all this while without him, whose instincts were rated as one of the finest, noticing.

"Invention #1069, All-Around Protection Spray." She held up a small plain white bottle in her hand. "One spray allows the user to conceal their presence. Prototype, currently not for sale."

"Hn." Unresponsive as always, he settled for a scowl.

Hotaru simply raised a brow, unperturbed by the piercing crimson gaze fixed on her.

"We need to talk." She stated calmly, moving to the hospital door and opening it, spilling in a streak of yellow light into the dark room.

She held it open and looked steadily at the Black Cat with her inscrutable violet eyes, her pale face made paler by the halo of light from the corridor.

"Don't try escaping," she continued mildly.

Natsume knew she meant it.

Given that it was Imai, he would probably end up next to Mikan if he tried anything.

So, admittedly grudgingly, he stepped through door into the brightly lit corridor.

The little click of the door closing behind him seemingly sounded his doom.

"Stop running away."

It was she who spoke first, her words echoing and strangely distorted in the empty hallway.

"All you are doing is hurting her. And destroying her."

"I am protecting her!" He hissed out, spinning around to pin the violet eyed female with a furious red-tinted gaze.

Unperturbed, she continued.

"From who? Persona? The academy? _You_?"

Natsume flinched.

"She will be killed if she gets too close to me."

Why can't they understand it? Why can't _she_ understand it?

_Everyone around him dies. _

"I think you underestimate her friends, Hyuuga." She turned away from him, shifting over towards one of the windows in the corridor. "Do you think we will let anything happen to her?"

"You have no idea what the academy is like. What Persona is like."

"Would you let anything happen to her?"

It stopped him.

The truth in the simple sentence struck true.

And the answer was always as simple as the question.

"No."

Violet eyes scrutinized him.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

It caught him there.

Because he didn't know.

"I am protecting her." But this time, it came out less certain.

"You are hurting her _and _testing my patience." A hint of irritation crept into her tone.

He simply shifted from his prone position against the wall and walked away.

As far as he was concerned, the conversation was over.

"Stop running away." Her words stopped him.

With a cynical smile, he turned back, "Speak for yourself."

Violet eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Explain yourself."

"Ruka. You like him don't you?"

Natsume had the satisfaction of seeing her eyes widen before she managed to pull her composure back in place.

"We are not talking about me here."

Inexplicably, the comeback lifted the edges of his lips slightly.

"We make a good pair, Imai." A cynical smirk touched his lips.

"Hmm."

It was neither an agreement nor a disagreement, and Natsume simply decided to leave it at that.

"Perhaps under other circumstances we could have become friends." This time, it was she who wore the smirk.

It made Natsume pause in his steps and snort in disbelief.

It was impossible, as they both well know.

Then he gave a little shake of his head and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Natsume. She is waiting."

_I know. _

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The days passed as a blur for Mikan.

She slept most of the mornings away; recuperating as Subaru had told her to before he had discharged her from the hospital.

Everyday, she woke to the same plaster ceiling that she and Hotaru had done up to an off white together.

And every night, she fell into troubled dreams filled with crimson eyes and broken promises.

She treaded a thin line between reality and dreams; sometimes she saw him hovering just beyond her reach, but when she reached for him, all that came to touch was the chilly air and nothingness.

Ruka had moved into her apartment upon Misaki-senpai's suggestion, worried as they were about her being alone.

His presence helped, taking her mind off the helplessness she was feeling at not being able to completely move on her own without bringing on a storm of pain that usually brought her down to her knees; it also took her mind away from a certain crimson-eyed male.

Hotaru visited on occasion when her busy work at her laboratory allowed for time to do so, her stoic attitude and no-nonsense take on life inexplicably bringing laughter to the brunette.

She took care not to show her desolateness at Natsume's absence in front of Ruka and Hotaru because she didn't want them to worry and also, she didn't want to hurt Ruka.

He had been the one who had helped her through this once, and she knew, despite him keeping his silence, he was hurting more than she was inside.

It wasn't fair to Ruka that it was Natsume that occupied most of her thoughts; she was _engaged_ to Ruka.

It wasn't that she didn't love Ruka, just that Natsume… Natsume always had a place in her heart, because he had been the first one there: the first one she had loved, the first one she had ached for.

She shifted her gaze to the head of golden that lay beside her, one tanned hand clasping hers gently, protectively. He was seated in the overly small chair, his tall frame squeezed uncomfortably into the small space, his head tilted at an awkward angle near her shoulder.

Warm breath tickled her shoulder as he slept with a frown on his face.

He had not left her side for days, gently guarding over her every need. Sleep was something he took only fleetingly for short periods of time.

Reaching over gently, she brushed a thumb over his furrowed brow, trying to smooth it out.

Ruka shifted slightly, and for a moment there, she thought he would wake, but he simply continued to sleep.

Gently, she extricated her hand from his hold and slipped down the bed, wincing slightly at the protest of her aching ribs.

Reaching over, she bundled up the blanket, padded over to where Ruka was lying before spreading the quilt over him.

She bent over and planted a soft kiss on his forehead before leaving the room, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

_Thank you. For everything. _

Night had fallen, the velvety sky dotted by bright stars stretching endlessly across the open. The moon hung in the sky, alone and dejected in an inverted 'u', the soft milky light spilling over through her balcony.

She reached out to flip on the light, her hand groping in the dark for the switch.

"Don't."

She froze before her head whipped to where the voice came from.

The achingly familiar voice that had haunted her dreams.

There he was, on the previously vacant balcony, his tall frame casting a long shadow into her living room.

Something clenched her heart.

He wasn't real.

He was just part of her imagination.

She watched as the apparition moved towards her as she stood there on the spot, waiting for the moment he would just dissipate into thin air, leaving with her no more than memories of heartache and never-to–be's.

He stopped in front of her, one hand reaching up to gently thumb away her tears, tears she hadn't been aware she was shedding.

"You are just another memory." She whispered out brokenly, staring up at him with achingly wide amber eyes.

Crimson eyes fixed on hers unwaveringly.

One hand came up to caress her cheeks gently before he closed the distance between them.

Gentle lips pressed down softly on hers, shattering in his gentleness, the salty tinge of her tears mixed with his scent.

He broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers as blood-red clashed with amber.

"Natsume?" The name fell out of her lips tremulously.

He was really here.

He was _real. _

"One last time." The soft lilt of his voice flowed in the still silence of the flat.

She stared up at him in silence, dreading what was coming next.

Not again.

"I am sorry." Then he was gone, moving away into the shadows stealthily.

"No…" The tears came furiously, hot and burning as they slid down her cheeks.

One hand reached out desperately, to feel, to capture.

Anything to make him stay.

He stood in the moonlight on the balcony, the translucent white curtains fluttering in the breeze, shielding him from her sight.

Tears racing down her cheeks, she simply stood there numbly, unable to move, unable to speak.

He pulled out the cat mask and slipped it over his face, then, in a split second, he was gone with a flip over the railing.

_What I want is not an 'I am sorry', but to simply be with you. _

_Why can't you understand that? _

_Why can you simply be there for me? _

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Ruka stood silently, a shadow against the creak of the door he had opened slightly.

Her sobs echoed in the silent apartment, each one jabbing into his heart like a thousand needles.

For once, he didn't go to her, to comfort her that everything was alright, to tell her Natsume would come back.

Because all that would be a lie.

So he let her be, even though it hurt.

Eyes closed, he leaned back against the wall, sharing her pain silently.

Because it was all he could do for her right now.

Right now… before he let her go.

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**a/n: um hi? -winces- i'll update more regularly from now on -.-; **

**I'll be working on completing Daffy here like I did for G for Girlfriend, with misc. updates in between postings of Daffodil's chapters..**

**on a completely unrelated note, Gakuen Alice Reader's Choice Awards is open for voting :') (link at my profile)**

**Meanwhile, do leave a review :')**


	7. Wait for Me

**Dedicated to **Typh**, without whom the previous chapter would have been procrastinated :P A million belated thanks :')**

ps: if i have not answered your reviews, i am really sorry! I'll fix it asap, so meanwhile please bear with me! gomen nasai!

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**Daffodil**

By SnowMirage

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_No matter where you go, no matter where you are,_

_I'll always find you. _

_Just…wait for me._

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**Chapter seven: Wait for Me**

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He waited there, until her sobs quieted down to sniffles.

Then he pushed open the door and flipped on the light switch.

Startled red rimmed eyes fixed onto him from where she was curled onto the floor, blinking slightly at the sudden glare of the light that flooded the living room.

"R-ruka-pyon?" She looked up at him, as startled as a deer caught in the headlights.

He stood there, ignoring the ache in his heart at what he was about to do. It would be better for her, for all of them.

"Come. We need to talk."

He held out a hand, waiting for her to take it in silence.

Without hesitation, she placed her hand in it and allowed him to draw her to her feet.

A sad smile tilted his lips.

It was why he had fallen in love with her, her ability to love and her uncompromising way of trusting others.

And because he loved her, he was going to let her go.

To where she really belonged.

He led her over to the wide coffee-colored settee, waiting for her to sit before he sat opposite her quietly.

"I heard." He stated simply, blue eyes staring straight at her without flinching.

Her mouth gaped open slightly in a small 'o' before she managed to gather herself.

"Ruka-pyon I-"Thousands of denials came to her mind, along with shock and horror. Shock at what it meant and horror at the fact that it meant he saw the kiss…

"It is okay." He cut in before she could put a coherent excuse together.

"It wasn't like what you saw – "She babbled out, anxiety mounting, the need to explain herself causing her tongue to trip over the words.

"Mikan," He reached out to take her wildly gesturing hands firmly, the other reaching for her chin to make her look at him.

"It is okay." He repeated. "I know how you feel about Natsume. I know I'll never be able to take his place."

He gave a little shake of his head when she tried to deny with a wild shake of her head.

"Don't lie to yourself, Mikan. Don't lie to me."

She fell silent and simply watched him mutely, amber eyes apprehensive.

He reached into his pant's pocket, drawing out a small piece of paper with a crisp sound and handed it to her.

"This is where he is. Where he lives." A small smile touched the corner of his lips as he watched amber eyes widen when she realized what he was saying, what it meant.

_But why? Why did he have it? _

"Youichi came to find me yesterday." He supplied the answer to the unspoken question.

"Go to him Mikan." He smiled softly. "He needs you."

"Ruka-pyon…"She only managed to go so far before bile clogged up her throat.

Tears started to fall heedlessly and she reached out blindly for the man who had loved her so much and so selflessly; the man whom she had been unable to love back as much.

Strong arms went around her and she fell into his comforting embrace, sobbing.

"I am sorry, I am sorry…" She babbled out numbly.

_I am sorry for not being able to love you. _

"It is okay." He whispered out the words comfortingly, one hand going to stroke her hair gently.

_Is it really? _

He ignored the small voice in him that questioned his answer cynically, because all that mattered now wasn't him.

He drew back, hands holding her by the shoulders and smiled softly, "Go to him. You belong there."

With that, he took her hand firmly and drew off the simple ring that had been their promise to each other for so many years.

He loved her enough to let her go.

"Go." He whispered, releasing her hands.

_Go before I change my mind. _

"Ruka-pyon, I…" Amber eyes searched his almost wonderingly, tears brimming at the edges. She leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "I love you."

_But not as you love him. Never as you love Natsume. _

"Thank you."

She stood up, smiled one last time at him and walked out of his life.

_Be happy. _

_Aishiteru, Mikan._

------------------------------------

It was almost painful, the way she lingered in his mind and heart after she had left.

_You were the one to let her go. _

Somewhere deep in him, he fought down the urge to go after her, to beg her to forget Natsume, to beg her to love him.

But she was never his to begin with.

He had just been lying to himself when he thought that she could learn to love him the way she did Natsume, that he could take Natsume's place.

The paper.

He had lied to her when he said Youichi had given it to him yesterday.

It had been more than two days since the paper came to his hand, courtesy of a concerned Youichi who had been worried about Natsume.

And for the past few days, Ruka had stared at the innocent slip of paper, fighting with his conscience every time as he watched over Mikan.

To give it to her, or to throw it away.

He wanted so much to give it to her, to let her go to Natsume. But every time he slipped his hand in to withdraw the paper, he hesitated.

Because he couldn't, _wasn't_ able to let her go.

Because he wanted her to love him back so desperately.

Because, he wondered what was left for him if she left.

He was being selfish and he hated himself for it.

Yet, when he had finally pushed himself to let her go, it hurt so much he couldn't speak.

Every thing around him reminded him sharply of her.

He saw the intoxicating shade of her eyes in the brandy he sloshed within the decanter held laxly in his hands, the curve of her lips in the arc of the moon, the satin of her skin in the smooth lily-white petal of the single stalk of rose set in the vase.

The tantalizing fragrance of lilies and dainty rosemary lingered in the air, taunting him with her scent, taunting him with her leaving.

_She will never come back to you. _

He took a swig, taking pleasure in the burning sensation as the smooth velvety liquor slipped down his throat.

The bitter taste it left behind reflected the smile on his face as he allowed the liquor to numb his senses.

It was almost ironic how much he missed her, how the apartment felt like an empty shell without her.

How his _life _felt like an empty shell without her.

"You are a contradicting idiot, Nogi Ruka."

The softly spoken words had the effect of a bullet piercing through the air.

Turbulent azure eyes snapped up to fixed on coolly detached violet eyes.

So intent he had been on his thoughts that he never noticed the opening of the apartment's door.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" the words came out slightly slurred, the after effects of downing bottle after bottle of brandy.

"She told me." A slightly pitying look passed her eyes as she appraised him.

He turned away and concentrated instead on the brandy, unable to bear the sympathy in her eyes.

"So?" The question came out curt, almost defensive.

He lifted the bottle to down the last drops, but a hand landed firmly on the bottle, stopping it in its tracks.

"Don't do this. If Mikan knows, she will be unhappy."

The truth in her words rang true, but it only served to irk him.

"She isn't here anymore!" He barely managed to keep from shouting, wrenching the bottle away from her restraining hand.

"You were the one who let her go." She said quietly.

The bottle landed on the floor with a loud clatter.

Anguished blue eyes stared up at the moon until it blurred before his sight.

"I loved her."

He twisted around to look at her, "I still love her. Enough to not want to let go."

He let out a mirthless laugh, "I promised to let her go, but my heart refuses to."

Hotaru didn't reply, simply looked at him with those distinctive violet eyes.

He buried his head into his hands.

His decision to let her go was tearing him apart and the pain…how he wished the pain would go away.

How he wished he could _not _feel for once.

Just this once.

"I know what you are going through."

Almost as though the violet-eyed female's reply was what he had be waiting for, his brilliant blue eyes flashed before lashing out, "How would you know? The Ice Queen Imai Hotaru knowing heartbreak-"

He broke off.

Even through his liquor-induced haze, he knew he had gone too far.

An apology started to tumble off his tongue, but she beat him to it.

"I know, because I have been through it."

Her quiet reply stopped him and he fell silent.

"Because I once loved and because I once had to let go."

Surprise flashed across Ruka's face.

He had never heard of Hotaru being in love, not even from Mikan.

Violet eyes landed on his and held his gaze firmly.

"Because…the man I loved was my best friend's fiancé."

Quiet vulnerability swam in those eyes now as she waited for him to understand.

The meaning of her words dawned with the grace of a falling grand piano smashing into the ground below.

"You .. you…" Ruka was at a loss as to what to say.

It was something he had never expected to hear from _her _of all people.

"You never said anything." He finally got out lamely.

"How was I to? Mikan meant more to me than anyone. Her happiness meant more to me than anything."

Ruka fell silent and simply listened, sensing this was something the violet-eyed female needed to get out of her system.

Years of hurting in silence propelled the words forth, a lone tear making its way down her cheek.

She reached out to swipe angrily at the tear, hating herself for showing so much vulnerability to a man who couldn't even love her back.

She composed herself, drawing her expression back into the expressionless face she wore as her defense.

"Sorry about that." She got out calmly as though the outburst never happened before. "I'll leave to wallow in your grief like the coward you are."

With a curt nod at Ruka, who had stood up and was simply watching her silently with his azure eyes, she turned on her heel, prepared to leave before she could embarrass herself further.

The pressure of a hand on her arm stopped her.

Annoyed, she was about to turn around and deck the blonde for daring to stop her when the softly spoken words stopped her.

"I am sorry. For not knowing."

Hotaru closed her eyes, resigned.

"How could you have known?" her voice sounded hollow, even to her.

"I should have known." At the surprising answer, she twisted around to look at him with narrowed eyes.

He looked back at her seriously with those sky-blue eyes of his, "I won't lie to you. I still love Mikan."

She made to move away, knowing rejection when she sees it.

"Hotaru. Will you give me time to heal and…to learn to love you?"

Startled violet eyes look up into his.

"Why?" She asked. "Because you pity me? Don't you dare pity me Nogi Ruka or I'll reduce you to smithereens."

The old Imai Hotaru was back in full form.

This time, a small lopsided smile dimpled even as a small chuckle left his lips.

"Pity is the last thing I would feel for you, Imai Hotaru."

Violet eyes narrowed. She was not going to make this any easier for him.

"Then why?" She demanded, ready to yank her arm out of his hold.

Inexplicably, her unyielding nature made him grin. "Because you fascinate me. Because I think I can love you."

She was careful to hide the smile that tugged at her lips from the blonde. "Do you really?"

"Your stubbornness, your ice-queen demeanor fascinates me, Imai Hotaru."

"Did anyone ever tell you that listing someone's bad points is no way to get to a girl?"

"I think they are your most endearing quirks. Which is precisely why I think I can love you."

"Stop grinning like an idiot, Nogi."

"But I am happy. Happy people grin."

"Nonsense."

"_You _are smiling."

"I am smirking."

"You are smiling."

"Do you want me to sell your Snow White pictures?"

"What the- why do you still have them?!"

"Money of course."

"I-" Sigh. "I guess that is why I could learn to love you."

"Don't go all mushy on me. And I never said I wanted your love."

"Liar."

Suddenly, as he bickered with the violet-eyed female, Ruka felt as though his life was no longer as bleak as it looked.

_Thank you for loving me… and for letting me love you. _

--------------------------------------

A hand lifted to tuck a tendril of auburn hair behind her ear as Sakura Mikan stood alone in the deserted car park.

Amber eyes stared up at the apartment that stood in front of her, the white façade of the building illuminated by the moon that hung high in the sky.

The slip of paper in her hand crinkled as her fist tightened around it.

_Natsume, wait for me. _

--------------------------------------

_To be continued..._

**a/n: I am sorry about the lack of action in this and the over-angsty mood (sheepish laugh)... um .. i just couldn't bear letting Ruka all alone, so I injected a Hotaru and Ruka moment... Sorry if Ruka seemed to get over Mikan a tad quickly --;; but just go with me for this :')**

**Reviews about how bad/good this chapter was will be much loved :') **


	8. Stay With Me

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**Daffodil**

To **littledoggy**

_-_

_-_

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_Anything, anything at all._

_As long as you stay with me._

_-_

**Chapter eight: Stay With Me**

**-**

The barely audible sound of leaves rustling broke through the heavy silence night brought with it.

Sharp crimson eyes scrutinized the quiet and dark surroundings as he moved from tree to tree lithely, a shadowed blur, ducking the protruding branches with an ease of a seasoned fighter. He caught the shifting of the leaves as a snake slithered its way through the thick undergrowth, the yellow glow of headlights as a car cruised down the desolate highway.

He broke through the last of the trees, landing softly onto rough granite of the pavement that led to his apartment. The moon bathed him in a silver light, illuminating the streaks of blood that stained his hands and face he hadn't bothered to clean off after the rough mission.

Another mission, another death.

It sickened him, the way the man he killed had looked so wretchedly at him before he was consumed in a ball of flame. The man had been an adversary of the Academy, yet had it been right to kill him?

_Spare my child. _

It had been a plea that had tumbled out of the man's lips in the last few seconds of his life, words that had frozen his blood and stopped his heart.

He had found the boy hiding behind the sofa, face streaked with tears, arms banded tightly around his knees. Barely four and orphaned by his very own blood-streaked hands.

_Papa? _

There had been hope in those innocent emerald eyes as the question slipped out, hope that had dulled when he saw the unfamiliar figure towering over him.

_Papa? _

The little boy had adamantly repeated the question to the silent man that was staring down at him, having no idea at all that each question was poised like a spike to the heart.

Natsume didn't speak a single word, simply bent down and lifted the little boy, shifting him so that the boy was seated comfortably on his arm, chubby arms wrapped trustingly around his neck. It was ironic, for the little boy who so unquestioningly took to the tall, dark-haired man never knew that the hands that supported him had killed his father a few moments ago.

He had brought the boy to an orphanage and left him in the arms of the surprised volunteer, unable to look into those emerald eyes without being reminded of how he had caused the boy to lose his only family.

He was nothing but a murderer.

The blood of thousands stained his hands; he had left behind broken families and tears in his trail.

The hated and feared Black Cat was nothing but a puppet murderer in the Academy's hands.

He hated himself for what he was, who he was. Yet, no matter how he tried to break away from it all, the binds that held him were simply too strong. They withstood his struggles then repaid him back two-fold with pain and despair.

Such was his cursed life.

Landing softly on the banister of his fifth floor apartment's balcony, he made to enter the house and stopped when he heard something suspicious: A woman's cursing.

It seemed to come from right beside his balcony, the words piercing the quiet estate punctured by soft but audible grunts.

He stepped lightly down from the banister and leaned over…and watched in half-disbelief as someone clumsily scaled the wall with all four limbs on the wall using the gorges in the brick wall as footholds. The moonlight illuminated the flowing locks of auburn tresses that swung with the person's awkward movements, the curve of the cheekbone as she panted with the effort of making the climb.

One slender hand clad in a black glove jerked back from the wall shakily before she grabbled for a new foothold. Natsume watched as she dragged her body upwards with an effort, obviously tired and grouchy.

Natsume felt a leap of recognition as uncomplimentary words tumbled from the woman's mouth. That voice, that hair, it could only be her: Sakura Mikan.

What was she doing here? And more importantly, how had she found him?

Fury that she had found him even after he specifically warned her _not _to warred with an absurd lightening of his feelings that he pushed away callously.

"Stupid Natsume! It is your entire fault I had to climb up _five stories_!" At the grumpy curse, Natsume felt a smile tug at his lips in amusement.

She simply never changes.

"What," he drawled lazily with silky intent, "are you doing?"

He watched as a pair of amber eyes jerk up to him in surprise, shock illuminated in their depths. "Natsu-"

Her left foot slipped from its precarious hold in the wall and a terrified shriek fell from her lips as she scrabbled for balance with her hands. It was a long drop down to the ground from where she was, one that Mikan wasn't particularly relishing.

She dimly heard a shout from above her as she valiantly tried to get her dangling feet to get a new hold in the wall to no avail. Her fingers were slowly slipping from their holds on the gorges, dragged down by her weight and struggling feet.

Anytime, anytime now, she would lose her grip and fall to her death…

With a small yelp, Mikan felt her fingers lose their grip on the rough granite and she squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear the dizzy sight of the free fall.

Instead of the rush of wind she had anticipated, a pair of hands grabbed her arms tightly, hauling her up to a hard chest and into the safety of the balcony floor.

Terrified amber eyes clashed with intense crimson eyes in a heart-shattering moment before the first giggle broke her. She buried her face into Natsume's warm chest and started laughing, the terror giving way to a shaky laughter that came from a warped amusement of her near-escape from death.

Natsume simply rested his chin on top of her head, eyes shut in relief. He had almost lost her and it frightened him out of his wits. And now, he fought between the urge to strangle her and simply to hold her close.

"You idiot, what the hell did you think you were doing?" The words escaped in a furious hiss as Natsume gripped the brunette by her shoulders and started shaking her.

Mikan, sensing the fury that was pouring out of the crimson-eyed male in front of her, hiccupped once before she fell silent, squirming uncomfortably under the laser-like glare. "Um.. looking for you?" She got out tentatively, inching backwards for the tirade to come.

"By _climbing _up the bloody wall when there is a perfectly decent thing called the door?" The hiss was gradually becoming a roar as crimson eyes spat fire at her. "Are you demented, woman?"

Mikan shifted slightly; the barrister was cutting into her flesh uncomfortably. "No actually, I was thinking you won't really welcome me if I were to knock on the door-"

"Which brings me to the next question," Natsume interrupted, his voice softening down to a drawl that was much more deadly," I gave you instructions not to look for me-"

"Actually, you didn't." Mikan piped up cautiously, wincing when Natsume glared at her.

"There was an underlying meaning to my words, baka youjo." Natsume bit off his last words, remembering very clearly now why the brunette had been called dense amongst other things in her school years.

"Well, you didn't _forbid _me from doing so." A petulant pout found its way to the brunette's face, annoyance at being called baka youjo surfacing.

"I am forbidding you now!" Natsume lost the last bit of his control and snarled at the female.

The fury from the crimson-eyed male only served to fuel her growing anger. Drawing her small petite frame up, she slapped the palms of her hands onto the cold marble floor, fully returning glare for glare.

"You have no right to!" She yelled back, every bit as angry as the male.

None of them noticed the lights that flickered on as Natsume's neighbors were stirred from their sleep by the pair's increasingly noisy argument.

"I have every right to especially when I am dealing with idiots like you!"

Natsume's control was on the brink of snapping, the thread of control he had on his temper reflected by the furious glint in his crimson eyes. Mikan knew, but still she pressed on.

"Is caring for you being idiotic?" She shouted right back at him, fingers curling into her palm until they were cutting into the soft flesh.

_I would give my life for you, even if it is just to see you once more. _

The simple sentence seemed to knock the wind out of Natsume. As quickly as his temper had blown, it receded, leaving a Natsume that looked older than his age.

"Yes." It was said with so much resignation, so unlike Natsume, Mikan stopped in her rant.

Fiery crimson eyes she had longed for so long pinned her gaze. "Yes. It is idiotic. Because I can't give you what you want."

_Because I can never love you. Because if I love you, I'll kill you. _

He took the silence from the brunette as assent. "Now that you understand, don't look for me ag-"

"You selfish bastard." Startled crimson eyes jerked to wounded amber ones.

"I don't understand. I don't understand a single thing. Don't _presume _to know what I want." She glared at him, furious that he would push her aside so easily. "I am no longer the child I was ten years ago. Don't treat me like one."

A stray russet lock was brush ruthlessly away with a shaking hand. "I never ask you to love me. It is enough for me if you would let me love you. That is all I ask." She finished off brokenly, allowing the single tear to trail down her cheek.

A sudden dull thud was heard as Natsume's fist connected with the barrister. Surprised, Mikan looked up at Natsume, but his eyes were trained on a place in the distance.

"It is too late." His drawl broke through the silence. A cynical smile touched his lips as he turned back to her, wry amusement in his eyes," I fell in love ten years ago, when a polka-dotted idiot straddled me on a couch."

Mikan gaped, teary-eyed, at Natsume.

Of all the things she had expected, the confession had not been one.

"I am talking about you, incase your small pea-size brain hasn't gotten it." Natsume lifted a brow at her.

Mikan glared at him. Stupid Natsume, to think he hasn't changed after all those years.

"Persona,". Mikan flinched slightly at the name. Even after these years, the white masked man still instigated an irrational fear in her. "Has made certain that those I hold close to me die, or suffer a fate worse than death."

There was no longer the bitterness Natsume used to have in his tone when he spoke about the man who made his life a living hell, but an eerie matter-of-fact tone that had Mikan lifting a concerned hand towards the male.

"Which is why," Crimson eyes swung to her, hard as flint, " You should never have come here in the first place. I don't want you to die." Determination lit the fiery depths as he stood up, hauling her up unceremoniously with him. "You are going home."

"Natsume! Let go of me!" Stumbling along clumsily as Natsume pulled her into his house with long-legged strides. " She tried to loosen her arm, push at the hand that was gripping her arm painfully to no avail.

"I don't care if I die!" Natsume seemed to have shut her words out, so determined was he at getting her out of his house, even if he had to drag her all the way back to her house if necessary.

"Natsume! Don't be stupid!" In a last ditch attempt at trying to get Natsume to release her, Mikan threw her weight backwards, shoving at his waist at the same time.

Natsume grunted slightly, jerked off-balance for a moment, then continued striding towards the door despite the protests the female was dealing out.

"Yes, Natsume. Don't be stupid." The silky voice that floated into the room stilled their movements.

Amber and crimson shot to the balcony they had just vacated.

Silhouetted against the glow of the moonlight was a man neither had wanted to see again. A white semi-mask glinted in the moonlight, the deadly sharp and long nails a poisonous black against the white.

"Let her stay," A malicious smile curved beneath the white semi-mask, "and let me kill her."

_Persona. _

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**A/n: Last chapter before the finale! I really really want to thank all the people who have reviewed and helped one way or another (: I love you all (in a entirely platonic way) :D I had a really difficult time writing this, so I have to apologize for the lack-luster chapter -.-;**

**Comments and constructive criticism welcomed (: **


	9. Endings

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**Daffodil**

**-**

**-**

**-**

_I'll give everything I have got to have an ending with you. _

_It doesn't matter if it is sad or happy, as long as I can be with you._

_Because haven't you heard?_

_The ending is just the beginning._

**-**

**Chapter nine: Endings**

-

In a knee-jerk reaction, Natsume pulled Mikan unceremoniously behind him, protecting her from the menace that had haunted his whole life.

A delighted smile graced the thin lips beneath the pearl white mask. "Natsume, Natsume, why the animosity?" Persona said silkily.

"What are you doing here?" The words came out a hiss, Natsume's crimson eyes narrowing dangerously even as bright orange flames burst to life in his palm, the color slowly darkening to a poisonous blue that lit the house eerily.

"What is she doing here?" With a slick ease, Persona twisted the question around. The sharp blackened and unnaturally long fingernails lifted to one of the fluttering gossamer curtains that framed the balcony, caressing it. Before their very eyes, the cloth turned black where it touched his hand and slowly disintegrated away until nothing was left.

Mikan unconsciously took a step back, horrified at what she was seeing. The destructive power of Persona's cursed alice was mind-numbing.

Persona took a few steps forward, the heels of his boots colliding with the marble floor with a hard click each time. "I hope you remember our little…pact, Natsume." The smile turned chilling. "The safety of the people close to you," this was said with a sneer as his eyes flicked momentarily to Mikan, "in exchange for your life service."

Mikan was reeling back from the realization of what Persona had said.

_The safety of the people close to you in exchange for your life service. _

Natsume hadn't abandoned them because he wanted to. He had turned away from them for their sake. He had cared for them enough to give up his own life.

"Natsume…" Tears gathered on the sides of her eyes, threatening to slip unbidden down her cheeks.

At the sound of his name, Natsume turned his face slightly towards Mikan, his cheekbone silhouetted by the moonlight that streamed in from the balcony. A hint of the old Natsume came back as a smirk passed his face. "There is snot on your face."

A half laugh half sob escaped Mikan's lips. Trust him to be so obnoxious at a time like this. "Natsume baka."

And for a moment, as amber and crimson locked together, it was almost like the old times.

"How _touching_." Persona's voice broke through, easing the tension up a notch. "Now, since you have broken the little rule regarding our pact, I guess I have to kill you and the girl."

It didn't happen in seemingly slow motion like those of the movies. The event sped by so fast that Mikan didn't even have time to comprehend that she was shoved to one side by Natsume a split second before Persona struck.

Having dodged the attack with the agility born from years of missions and blood shed, Natsume yelled at the sprawled Mikan even as he sent two fire balls speeding towards Persona.

"Get out now! Go!"

The fire balls crashed into the wall behind Persona in a brilliant display of lights as he sidestepped them with only a small nick on the sleeve of his black cloak, leaving an ugly burn stain on the originally pristine white wall.

Natsume's words broke Mikan out of her stupor and she scrambled to her feet, rushing over towards where Natsume was poised on the side of the room, eyes fixed onto the dark figure prowling the room.

Even if her alice was never as well controlled as Natsume's, even if there was only a fifty percent chance it would work… she moved in front of Natsume just as Persona made his move, darting towards them.

"What the – get the hell out of the way, you idiot!" Natsume's eyes widened as he attempted to step in front of Mikan to protect her. He hadn't done so many things in the past years to protect her only to have her die now.

The last thing she heard was Persona's amused words before she shut her eyes and shoved all her alice at the man.

_Stupid girl._

For Natsume, he watched in wordless horror as Persona's hand reached for Mikan's face. He knew how even a touch of Persona's alice would mean a painful and drawn out death as his alice slowly ate away at the person's immune system. Just as he thought all was over, a blinding flash of white burst out from Mikan's hands, engulfing Persona and tossing him backwards carelessly like a rag doll.

Relief coursed through Natsume and his tensed shoulders sagged temporarily. Then anger slowly seeped through and he gripped the shoulders of the brunette who stood shakily in front of him, turning her roughly around to face him.

"_Don't _you do that again!" He hissed out, only to be rewarded by a blinding smile from Mikan.

"Natsume, did you see that? I did it!" Mikan grinned happily, a small laugh of amazement bursting forth from her. Without warning, Natsume pulled her into a suffocating hug as he let out a shuddering sigh.

"Don't you do that again." He repeated, softer this time.

The smile of satisfaction that had been on her face disappeared as she realized how reckless her move had been and how worried Natsume must have been.

"I am sorry." She whispered out before burying her face into his chest.

"Good. Now get out of here." As sudden as he had pulled her into his arms, Natsume released her, shoving her towards the door.

Mikan stared incredulously at Natsume. He was _so _thick.

"No!" She yelled obstinately, planting her feet onto the carpeted floor and refusing to budge. "I am staying with you!"

"You. Are. Not." Natsume gritted out, fury burning in his eyes. "Don't make me haul you out of here."

"I want to fight with you." She glared at Natsume with a determined look on her face. "I won't let you fight alone."

"No means no." Natsume spared her an annoyed look before he lit a flame threateningly. "Don't make me burn you."

"Stupid Natsume! I – behind you!" Mikan's retort gave way to horror as she spotted Persona just behind Natsume.

_Too late. _

A voice whispered in her head and Mikan watched in barely concealed horror as Persona aimed a kick at Natsume.

The boot connected with the side of Natsume's face with a sickening crunch as bones broke, sending him sprawling to one side of the room.

Mikan let out a horrified cry and made to rush over to Natsume, only to be nailed by a kick to the stomach. She doubled over onto her knees, gasping for breath.

"Tsk, tsk. Always be on the alert, Natsume. Caring has made you weak." Persona glided over to where Natsume was sitting up, a spatter of blood finding its way to the carpeted floor as Natsume coughed.

A streak of blood ran down from the side of his mouth as Natsume spat out bitterly," You are a monster."

A chilling sound rang out as Persona threw his head back and laugh, "I don't find it worthwhile to care for scum like _those_," He pointed languidly at Mikan.

"Once, I thought you would be my greatest masterpiece, the perfect killing machine groomed by me," Persona shifted until his shadow covered Natsume, forcing the raven-haired male to tilt his head back. "Oh, how you disappoint me time and again, Natsume."

"Shut up." The words were accompanied by burst of flames that smothered his fist. Without warning, he swung it towards Persona's face, only to be intercepted easily by Persona's hand.

The flames leaped and engulfed their joined hands for a moment, then, it simply went out, leaving a spiralling smoke in its wake. Natsume panted with the effort, completely drained of his power. He could feel the strain in his muscles, the drain of his energy as he willed his alice to work. The mission had taken a lot out of him, both mentally and physically, and he wasn't really up to a fight with the man who had tutored him.

"Now," In a swift move, Persona was kneeling beside Natsume, one hand wrapping around his neck, "As payment for the breach of the pact," He tightened the grip, the sharp ends of his nails digging into Natsume's flesh, "You will die."

Natsume's fingers grabbled helplessly at the grip as he tried to use his alice, ignoring the pain the effort was causing him. Persona smiled chillingly, the other hand lifting to touch his cheek. Natsume flinched away, knowing that death was only a finger's touch away.

"Get away from him baka!!" A small body crashed into Persona's forcefully, throwing him off balance.

Mikan ignored the sharp pain that rain through one side of her ribs; all that ran through her mind at the moment was that Natsume was safe. Hands suddenly tug at her hair ruthlessly, jerking her up to her knees painfully. Persona loomed over her, a twisted angel of death. He lifted a hand and slapped her across her face neatly twice, the impact each time throwing her face to the side.

She dimly heard Natsume calling her name, blearily saw him struggle to his feet, hands fisting as flames burst into existence, weak flames that flickered weakly.

_No more. _

She knew each and every time Natsume used his alice, it ate away at his lifespan.

_Please, no more. _

Persona jerked her face up to his, the smooth surface of the white demi-mask gleaming in the dark.

"Troublesome girl. I'll dispose of you before I kill that useless brat."

Mikan closed her eyes, wondering if this was the end fate had dictated her.

"KAMIKAZI!"

A high pitched shriek screamed through the room suddenly. Almost immediately, the grip on her hair loosened. She collapsed onto the floor, befuddlement racing through her. Beside her, Persona had collapsed, out cold, a bullet shaped in a human fist stuck on the back of his head.

_Kami…kazi? _

"That is such a stupid sound for a bullet to make, Imai," A familiar voice groused out.

_Permy? Hotaru?_

"No one asked for your opinion." The cool voice could only belong to the one and only Imai Hotaru.

Mikan blinked, her gaze shooting towards the previously vacant balcony. Gathered there, was the previous occupants of Class B.

Youichi stood slightly apart from the rest of them, but he smiled slightly at Mikan.

"Yo!" That head of blond hair, wide smile and enthusiastic wave could only belong to mind reader, Kokoroyumi. And was that Kitsuneme waving furiously behind him?

"Mikan, are you alright?" Ruka broke away from the rowdy group and moved quickly towards Mikan, helping her up while casting wary looks at the prone figure beside her, as though unsure when Persona would wake up.

"Ru-ruka?" Mikan murmured, half-disbelieving as she ran a hand over his cheek, as though to ascertain he was genuine, not a figment of her imagination.

"Yes." Azure eyes smiled reassuringly at her even as hands checked her for any broken bones.

"Give this to her," Hotaru moved to stand over them, one had pointing the dangerous looking gun she had in hand at Persona while holding out in the other a small blue pill shaped like a flower.

Ruka nodded, taking the pill carefully from Hotaru's palm and holding it up to Mikan's mouth.

"Hotaru." Mikan stared up at her best friend, tears gathering in her eyes. Perhaps it was a trick of light, but Hotaru's violets eyes seemed to soften ever so slightly.

"Eat it. Nonoko and Anna concocted it."

Mikan nodded, taking the pill from Ruka's palm and swallowing it. A rush of coolness spread throughout her body and she watched in amazement as some of the scraps on her knees and hands mended themselves with lightning speed.

"Subaru's alice." Hotaru explained simply before turning to where Natsume was a few feet away, attended by a worried Sumire, Youichi, Koko, Kitsuneme, while Mochu simply stood over them.

"You too," She lobbed the small blue pill to Natsume, who caught it easily. He didn't swallow it immediately, simply observed it before lifting his gaze to the violet-haired girl.

"Why?"

Hotaru returned his gaze calmly. She knew he was asking why they were here.

And just like before, the answer was as simple as the question.

"We are her friends." She answered simply. "When Youichi told us of Persona's movements, we came."

_And we would protect her with our lives, just like you would._

Ruka turned to look over at Natsume, wary azure colliding with undecipherable crimson. They didn't speak, simply held gaze. Slowly, a smirk formed on Natsume's face and he drawled out, "What is with using my balcony as the entrance?"

Koko grinned, slapping Natsume cheerfully on his shoulder as he told him, "Stairs are bad for health."

Natsume raised a cynical brow.

"Hey, you were the one living on the fifth floor in a building without an elevator!" Kitsuneme complained good-naturally.

"So we got Mochu-kun to transport us up here. Your balcony was the best option," Sumire explained as she wrapped a makeshift bandage around a long gash down his arm.

A tremulous smile touched Mikan's lips as she looked around with teary eyes. "Thank you." She whispered the words shakily, tears slipping down her cheeks, "Thank you so much."

"Che, what is there to cry about? What are friends for? You are such a cry baby, Sakura." Sumire said airily, but if one were to look closely, her olive greens eyes were glittering with unshed tears.

"Kokoroyumi, Kitsuneme, tie him up with this anti-alice rope," Hotaru commanded, handing the duo a silvery rope, still keeping the gun trained on the man just in case.

"Roger!" With twin maniacal glints in their eyes, the two pounced on the unconscious Persona.

"Mikan, Natsume. Time to go." Hotaru stated softly.

Natsume stared at her quietly for a moment before nodding, but Mikan panicked, "What do you mean?"

Violet eyes assessed her silently before Hotaru answered, "You can't stay in Japan. There is no knowing what Persona would do. You have to leave."

Mikan understood the reason Hotaru gave perfectly. Yet, as she looked at the best friend of twenty years, something pulled at her heartstrings. "But what about you?" She whispered out.

"You have to be strong Mikan. You can't rely on others forever. Go with Natsume." Hotaru held out a hand to Mikan, waiting for her to take it.

Mikan stared at the slender hand quietly, emotions warring within. She didn't want to go, to leave everything behind, yet…

She turned her amber eyes to Natsume who was waiting so patiently beside her. His vivid crimson eyes held hers, crimson eyes that held so much weariness and hope in them. She knew if she wanted, he would go alone. He was that selfless.

And that is why she loved him so much.

Mikan turned back to Hotaru and took the proffered hand. A small smile touched Hotaru's lips and she pulled Mikan up into a tight hug.

Mikan buried her face into Hotaru's shoulder. "I love you, Hotaru." She sniffled out.

Hotaru's hand lifted to stroke her head reassuringly, "It is not as if we won't be able to talk to each other forever. I'll mail you daily."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now, Hyuuga," Hotaru commanded calmly as she looked at Natsume over Mikan's shoulder, violet eyes flickering slightly. "IF I hear anything about this baka here being unhappy…rest assured I won't hesitate to fly over and use my newly created Kamikazi Baka gun on you."

"I am very assured." Natsume answered dryly as he eyed the dangerous looking gun she held in her hand.

"Good." Pulling away from the hug, Hotaru thumbed away the single tear that had found its way down Mikan's cheek, "Mikan. Your crying face-"

"-makes you thirty-percent less graceful to me." Mikan chorused, a teary grin forming on her lips as she recited the familiar words together with Hotaru.

The two exchanged a knowing look that only best friends who have known each other for the whole of their lives would, a look that spoke of understanding and a deep rooted love for each other.

Breaking the gaze first, Hotaru pushed Mikan gently to where Natsume was waiting, violet eyes flickering to Ruka for a moment.

The blonde nodded and smiled as he walked up to the couple, handing them a thick manila envelope.

Natsume took it, crimson eyes scanning the ordinary package before looking back up at Ruka for an answer.

"Inside are two air tickets to France and a deed to a cottage on the outskirts of town. The cottage used to belong to Shoda's father and has a lovely view of the sea. I think Mikan will like it there." The last he said with a small smile at the brunette, who exchanged a startled look with the flame caster.

"B-but Ruka, minna-" Mikan barely started before Sumire cut in with an annoyed toss of her shoulder-length olive hair.

"Just take it, Sakura. It is something we want to do for you, so the least you could do is to accept it graciously and never forget us. Because if you do…" Sumire trailed off menacingly, though the glint of amusement in her eyes gave her away.

"Take the sedan parked downstairs," Hotaru continued. When Natsume quirked a brow, she added on dryly with a quirk of her brow," You didn't think we teleported here did you?"

"With you it is always hard to say, " Natsume drawled out, a smirk on his face.

Mikan smiled, her hand reaching down to clasp with Natsume's, quiet gratitude in her eyes.

Sumire, Mochu, Koko, Kitsuneme, Youichi, Ruka, Hotaru and even the absent Yuu, Anna and Nonoko. There was so much she wanted to say, to thank them for everything.

A moan was heard as Persona stirred, turning wary gazes to the man currently bounded up cheerfully with a big bow on his neck, courtesy of the grinning Koko and Kitsuneme. Koko lifted a brow and simply bonked Persona across the head once.

"Out like a light." He confirmed as Persona's head lolled lifelessly to one side.

Chuckles broke out in the room, breaking through the heavy feeling shrouding the room.

"Now go, while we can still keep him down." Hotaru commanded as the laughter died down. The others nodded in agreement, with Koko and Kitsuneme flashing thumbs up.

Natsume nodded and tugged lightly at Mikan's hand to get her going.

Mikan locked her eyes with Hotaru's violet ones; it may well be one of the last times she would see her best friend, the one person she had loved more than her grandfather. And she kept that gaze until they turned a corner and Hotaru's beloved face disappeared from sight.

Mikan turned her face back to the front, willing herself not to cry and continued to walk beside Natsume in silence.

Natsume stopped suddenly and Mikan, whose hand was still clasped in his, was pulled to a stop.

Startled, she turned around to face Natsume.

Crimson eyes observed her emotionlessly, taking in the tears that hung at the edge of her eyes. He released her hand, saying quietly," You don't have to follow me. You will be safe with Imai and Ruka."

Mikan was startled into silence.

Then, she grasped his hand with hers and started walking, a sunny smile on her face as Natsume was dragged along.

"Natsume, you are the stupidest smart person I have ever met." She said conversationally, "Did you think I did all of those things just to let you go alone?"

Natsume, dragged behind by the brunette who suddenly acquired inhuman strength, blinked once at the back of Mikan's head. Then a small smile formed on his face before he let out a chuckle.

This time, it was Mikan's turn to stop and blink. In her whole life, she had never heard Natsume make a sound as such. The sound was rusty, almost hesitant, as if he hadn't done it in a long time. Yet, it warmed her heart.

Mikan spun around; grabbing Natsume's other hand as she beamed happily at him.

"I'll make you laugh more," She swore much to the amusement of Natsume.

He quirked a dark brow at her before pushing her towards the silver sedan parked at the edge of the road.

"Oh and Natsume, I'll name our child Sakura, after the sakura tree we were always at."

Natsume, stilled halfway in the act of getting into the driver's seat at the weird proclamation. He gazed at the woman he loved over the hood of the car before asking dryly, "What if we have a son? Will you name him Sakura?"

Mikan blinked before saying thoughtfully, "Hmmm, I haven't really thought about that." She frowned before her face brightened," How about Natsume Junior?"

Natsume rolled his eyes. He should have known that asking the pea brain would result in something like that.

_But still, you love the 'pea brain', _a voice in his head hinted slyly.

"Get into the car." Natsume drawled out before settling into the driver's seat.

"Ne, ne Natsume, how about Natsume the second?"

"No. That is a stupid name."

"Natsume is a stupid name?"

"No, adding on 'the second' makes it a stupid name."

"But I thought it is a good name!"

"I don't."

------------------------

It was his wedding day, a cloudless day of sunshine with skies as blue as his eyes.

He smiled as she walked up to him, resplendent in white lace that trailed along the jade green grass, a crown of daisies nestled on her hair. In her hand, she held a beautiful bouquet of daffodils, their cheerful yellow heads nodding along to the wind that swept across the lawn.

It was a simple wedding held in the lawn of Hotaru's house, where a small number of their closest friends and family gathered together to witness the small event, together with an odd collection of animals perched around the lawn, much to the amusement of the guests.

There was none of the lavish preparations that filled most weddings, simply the soft and sweet melody of Pachelbel's Canon in D playing in the background against the rustle of the bottle green grass blades and the soothing cries of the crickets.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy matrimony."

The priest's low baritone intoned the ancient words that had guarded over so many unions of love, one that had brought so many lovers together.

As she laid her gloved hand in his, he knew this day was everything he had ever wanted, everything that he needed.

_I love you. _

The words slipped from his lips, as feelings of joy and happiness overwhelmed him. Violets eyes he had come to love so much jerked up in surprise, then a smallest of smiles edge onto her mouth.

_I know. _

She mouthed back, violet eyes twinkling at his. He tightened his grip on her hand as the age-old vows washed over them.

"Do you, Nogi Ruka, take Imai Hotaru as your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, and forsaking all other, remain true to her as long as you both shall live?"

He never hesitated even for a second, the words coming confidently from his lips and heart. "I do."

"And do you, Imai Hotaru, take Nogi Ruka to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, and forsaking all other remain true to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Then let the exchange of rings bind your love for eternity."

Ruka turned expectantly to the silken aisle strewn with wildflowers of rainbow hues for his ring bearers.

Smothered giggles and coos of adorations rose as the small gathering of friends and relatives turn their attention from the couple to the unusual ring bearers that were scuttling down the aisle. A snow white puppy frolicked down beside the rabbit that bounded effortlessly to the puppy's pace. Around their necks, silver ribbons securing the rings glinted in the sunlight that poured down from above.

Ruka knelt down as they reached him simultaneously, the puppy furiously trying to lick him. He tugged gently at the ribbons to loosen them, a soothing hand reaching out to pet both animals as he thanked them quietly.

The beautiful deep purple stone set in the smaller ring glinted in the sunlight, a tribute to Hotaru's unique eyes. Ruka had contemplated between a diamond ring and this particular amethyst piece; but in the end, he took the amethyst, because like the woman he loved, the ring was both beautiful and distinctive.

He rose and with all the love in his heart, lifted her left hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. The ring fitted snugly, almost as if it had been made for her. Hotaru calmly took the other ring, a plain silver ring this time round and in turn slipped it onto Ruka's fingers.

The priest beamed happily at them before he announced in that deep resonant voice of his with pride, "And now I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Catcalls immediately followed, breaking through the solemn atmosphere that shrouded the ceremony and bringing light laughter into the air. Ruka lifted a brow at Koko and Kitsuneme, the origin of the catcalls and only got a cheeky grin and shrug in return.

Ruka shook his head in amusement and turned back to Hotaru, who simply lifted a brow. He knew the main reason why she wasn't pointing the kamikaze gun at the two was because the off shoulder wedding gown hadn't allowed her to carry any of her beloved inventions with her.

Ruka bent down slightly to touch his lips to Hotaru's, his palm sliding along the smooth skin of her cheek as he cupped her face. It was a simple chaste kiss, yet it bore all the importance in the world to the both of them.

"I pronounce you man and wife."

The two of them pulled away as cheers rose up around them. Friends crowded around the couple to congratulate them; others, like Koko and Kitsuneme, attacked the buffet table.

"Ruka, Hotaru-chan," They turned to find their old teacher standing in front of them, a twinkle in his purple eyes as he ran one hand through the untidy mop of blonde hair peppered with grey, beaming at them.

"You are still tastelessly dressed, Narumi-sensei." Hotaru observed without much tact as usual.

"Hotaru-chan, you are still as blunt as ever," Narumi laughed gaily, pushing away the barb on his flamingo pink shirt and polka dotted scarf easily.

"Narumi-sensei," Ruka inclined his head slightly and smiled, "It has been a long time. How have you been?"

"Genki, genki," Narumi waved away Ruka's concern, "I am worried about you." He added on, "The upper heads are angry about losing their best weapon. Even though I am trying my best to cover for you all-"

Startled, Ruka blurted out," How did you know that it was us?"

Narumi eyed him with an amused look. "Do you think anything my students does escapes me?"

Ruka exchanged a look with Hotaru. Even though they had made certain that no evidence was left behind after Natsume and Mikan's departure, they were .

"As I was saying, the upper heads are not too happy about losing Natsume. Currently, they do not suspect the few of you and are concentrating on hunting down Natsume and Mikan-chan." Narumi continued, a touch of a frown appearing on his forehead. "I am worried about them," He added softly.

Narumi started as Hotaru placed a hand onto his sleeve," They are safe. We'll make sure of it."

He held her gaze for a moment, a smile blooming on his face, "I'll be counting on you then, Hotaru-chan."

"Narumi-sensei!" The blonde haired man turned around to find his old students crowding around him, their excited questions rendering the man helpless.

"Sensei, you have white hair!"

"Ne, Narumi-sensei, when are you and Serina-sensei getting married?"

"That is priva-"

"They are getting married in April."

"Ah Koko! Don't read my mind!"

Laughter broke out at the flustered look on Narumi's face as he tried to shush Koko from reading out his private thoughts.

Hotaru had her attention trained on something else. Ruka followed the direction of her gaze and saw the two empty iron wrought chairs in the centre of the first row. They had been reserved for Mikan and Natsume, the two people who had meant the world to them even though Hotaru had known perfectly well that they would not be able to come.

"They will be alright." Ruka smiled down at Hotaru, taking her hand in his before lifting it to his mouth to brush a kiss over it.

A smile wobbled on Hotaru's mouth and she nodded silently. Her hands clenching the bouquet of daffodils, she turned to face the crowd and threw the bouquet of flowers in the air, starling the birds to flight as the flowers soared through the air.

Ruka lifted his eyes to the skies as the birds took to the skies with the noisy flutter of wings, the white of their feathers a contrast to the flawless blue of the skies.

_Natsume, Mikan. God bless you._

_----------------_

The smell of the sea was in the air, twining in with the sweet scent of daffodils in the wind that whipped her long auburn tresses into her face.

She lifted a hand to hold the unruly hair in place; the other shaded her eyes from the sunlight that filtered down from the skies above. The crash of the sea against the rocks created a melody the seagulls sang to in their shrill voices as they spiral the skies above.

Mikan reveled in the beauty of nature that surrounded her, her amber eyes taking in the cheery dance of the row of daffodils lining the edge of the cliffs, stunning in their yellow beauty. Natsume had planted those for her when they had first arrived in the lovely costal village, giving her something to remember the past by. And so, whenever Mikan felt the pangs of missing her homeland and friends, she would walk out to the cliffs and simply look at the daffodils.

But she was happy here, because she had Natsume with her. That was all that mattered. A small smile bloomed on her face, lighting up her eyes to a beautiful shade of gold.

"What are you smiling about?"

She shifted her gaze to the raven-haired male who had walked up to where she was seated on the bench, a laughing toddler held carefully in his arms. With eyes the brilliant amber of his mother and hair as black as ebony, Hyuuga Shirou bore his father's handsome features and his mother's brilliant smile.

Delighted giggles filled the air as Mikan lifted the boy from his father's arms and swung him high before nestling him close to her, rubbing her nose with his playfully.

"Shirou-chan," Mikan cooed, grinning as a chubby hand tightened on a bunch of her hair, tugging relentlessly.

Natsume slung himself on the bench next to her, a small smile on his face as he watched his wife and son interact with each other. He hadn't thought he had it in him to love so much, yet when little Shirou had been placed into his arm, he felt a love burn so bright in him, it was almost hard to breathe.

It rendered him speechless sometimes, and because of it, he contented himself with simply watching the two people he loved most in the world, revelling in the love they gave him unconditionally.

Shirou was the light in their lives; he was the one who brought their minds away from the terror of being caught by the Academy, the uncertainty of their lives.

"Thankfully I stopped you from calling him Natsume Junior." The dry comment accompanied with a smirk had the brunette shifting her gaze from her son to glare at her husband.

Natsume cocked a brow, daring her to rebut. A reluctant smile tugged at Mikan's lips before she simply grinned and reached over to clasp his hand in hers, leaning her head on his shoulder as she listened to the wind that blew past her ears and the joyful laughter as her son tugged at her hair happily with the unspoiled delight of a child.

She twined her fingers with Natsume's strong ones, observing the scars that ran over some of them, a stark white against the tan of his skin. It was a bitter reminder of who he used to be, yet that was what made him strong, made him the Natsume she loved so much.

They sat in silence, letting the happy laughter of the toddler ring in the air around them. Then Natsume reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a clean envelope.

Curious, Mikan plucked the envelope from Natsume's fingers, turning it over to flip the flap open. Smooth photo paper reached her fingers as she pulled out the contents. The glossy finish of the photos spilled out onto her lap, much to the delight of Shirou, whose attention immediately diverted from handfuls of his mother's hair to the pretty pictures the wind obstinately tried to tug from his grasp.

Mikan stilled as a smiling Ruka in a tuxedo smiled at her from the picture, a hand holding a beautiful woman in a wedding gown close to him. Amber eyes ran from the crown of daisies to the violet hair swept up in a chignon, to the violet eyes and finally, the rare smile that graced her lips.

"Hotaru…" She whispered out, a finger tracing the face.

"This came by jackdaw post a few minutes ago," Natsume spoke up, referring to another of Hotaru's infamous inventions, this one with the ability to deliver mails from one end of the globe to another in a matter of hours, the messenger in the shape of a jackdaw.

"They finally got married," Mikan started laughing, a dimple easing onto the side of her face.

"Why, I wonder." Natsume drawled out under his breath. There was nothing about Imai Hotaru that he could find that was the tiniest appealing as a female and hence, it bemused him constantly to hear of her getting married.

"Look Natsume!" Mikan tugged at Natsume's hand to get his attention. She held up another photo, one filled with familiar faces waving and grinning at them, "There is Koko," she pointed to the mind-reader smack at the front, "-and Permy, Yo-chan, Kitsuneme, Mochu, Iinchou, Anna and Nonoko!"

The near squeal his wife gave upon seeing the blonde man she had near idolised in the past had Natsume commenting dryly, "The windows are breaking."

Mikan ignored her husband. Instead, she bounded to her feet, hauling Shirou up with her with the ease of one used to taking care of young children. Shirou let out a delighted gurgle at the movement, one chubby hand going around his mother's neck.

"Stop behaving like a monkey." Natsume drawled out, a hand snaking out to clamp onto the active brunette's arm.

"I am going to write back to Hotaru!" Mikan laughed out gaily as she hurried back to the cottage, the contents of the letter already forming in her head, "I shall enclose my homemade Shepard's pie to them!"

"Pea brain." Natsume uttered under his breath. It was almost amusing the things his wife came up with sometimes.

Mikan, never one to miss insults aimed at her, immediately returned with a wide smile on her face. "But that is why you love me ne?"

Natsume never replied, but the small smile that crept onto his face was more than enough for her.

-

_Yes, that is why I love you. _

_Because you are the only one for me. _

_-_

_-_

_**owari**_

-

-

------------------

It was purely accidental that I picked the daffodil as the flower to bring Natsume and Mikan's past together, yet, it was almost as though it was dictated by fate, for as I found out after I started writing this chapter, the daffodil means _misery_ and also the most potent meaning of all: _You are the only one for me._

It has been a long journey from the first word i wrote from daffodil to this final author's note for this story and a thoroughly enjoyable one smattered with the occasional writer's block. Hmm, and now, I am contemplating a sequel featuring kawaii Hyuuga Shirou lol.

For those who are constantly egging me on to finish, know that the main reason why I have managed to reach this far is because of your efforts. For those who reviewed constantly, for those who gave your support silently by reading, I thank you.

Sakino-chan, aki , emii-chan, dbzgtfan2004, Azurana K., IOU, papayagrl, natsumexmikan, diana.o5, Tsubame Sakura, nikkiru, zline, glenda23, Toki Hasegara, lady orheal, who am i?, cherrytan, facadephazzad, noWriter, danavalkyrie, Raine8928, Ridley Silverlake, Seven Black Roses, tsunami23, RCangel, driftingwanderer, shielamaria, sakura0038, Mawam, Dear Julie, Kirai Mayumi, littledoggy, emrevolemina, karupin-san, michiy0, lilaznbunny, Chii, December, Sakura-chan0610, crazygirl18, maakuchan, Typh, Chiharu Hime, tinkerbellie, Afsha, flora0moonstone, sarafyna-chan, Harukichi-chan, foodaddict, SnowCharms, paper daisy, manimefrances, Moose-chan, Sokora Ohkami, cupidsangel, YAC, I-LoVe-AnImEsSs-, HelloHello, MelleeFluous, messiah, xXxaDeLainexXx, morissa, Riyu Akari, xxLiannexx, sakura4594.

Bless you.


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